D&S Operations Report 13 September 2023

Hi All, 

Due to work commitments there was a delay on creating the D&S media report for Wednesday the 13th September. If this is an issue for anyone, then please come and do my role and I'll get the media report done in a more timely fashion. It would mean you would be working with teenagers, hence why the D&S Media manager values train operational events. It keeps the sanity in some control....sometimes.

The usual cuppa and pre-operational chat occurred around the Solly kitchen table. Some decent food was on offer, so no-one went hungry and had plenty of sustenance ready for an operating night. Operators were:

Ron - Dispatcher

Ray - Watchit

Alan - Charde

David - Marabost

Craig - Tawnton East

Connor (filling in for Geoff D.) - Tawnton West.

One thing that is becoming very apparent with operating nights, and in reality, it is most probably no different to the real railways.......THINGS GO PEAR SHAPE!! (A bit like Port Power's Finals record). Looking at previous reports and hearing about a recent Wild Creek Operational session, it appears no model railway is free from mishap, particularly when Murphy enters the room. Basically, as in Life and no doubt you can attest to this - Shit happens! 
If you require the PG version just write 'Poo Bottom'. Well, this night at Ronald's was no different. Read on............

Marabost:

In reality it is most probably a good thing that Marabost doesn't have a super busy timetable (like it's Watchit cousin) because at this operational session there wasn't an operator at Marabost full time. Well, yes, it was David and he was present (standing) in the Marabost station region 

but he had other jobs to attend to during the evening, not of his doing mind you. David became a ganger for the night, fixing track issues.......as in a lifted rail. He was quite innovative. See the clamp image.

At one stage he was the 'Point Repairer' and re-railer, when a train derailed. Certainly his time at Marabost was filled with variety, much more then he expected, but he was still able to manage the operational requirements of Marabost quite efficiently. 

Charde:

Alan is certainly starting to get the hang of various 'operational' platforms, with card systems and train sequence lists.

 Alan managed Charde quite effectively and like all of us on the D&S roster, we started our D&S operational days at 'laid-back' Charde. In reality though Charde is not as laid-back as it used to be. Ron has implemented a few additions to his timetable structure to ensure Charde isn't just sitting back having tea and scones. Alan appears to be enjoying the evenings and it has been good to have him on board (pun not intended). Next step Alan, is Tawnton West! By the way, most operations in and out of Charde seemed to go fairly smoothly. 

Watchit:

With changes to the D&S timetable structure over the past 12 months, actually 5 years.....what am I saying - changes on the D&S happen hourly, and if not hourly, certainly daily. It's like a Physics equation really. Instead of mass = velocity x speed (or whatever) the following equation applies on the D&S: Ron = Change. Back to Watchit, comment from the young one on the night (Connor),' it's almost like Watchit is becoming the new Tawnton', relating to busyness. There might be some 'truth' in that comment. Certainly recent operators, including Paul, David and Ray have appeared to be busier, to the point of not all operations getting completed or operations not getting completed to the high standard the railway was once accustomed to. Train lengths appear to be getting longer, tracks are getting crowded, which delays through trains coming through Watchit on time and certainly the particular language coming from that side of the room has had an increased tone to it recent times. Tawnton received a train from Watchit that they were told was blocked. Obviously there were 2 interpretations of the term 'blocked' that occurred on the night. All in all, Ray managed the busy Watchit by using his operational experience and carefully reading instructions. 

Tawnton:

For this report the media manager has decided not to split the Tawnton locations into 2 separate sections in the report. There is no need, because, like other recent Tawnton operations it was a real team effort and this operating session was no different. The operators could read each others thoughts and acted as one very conducive, efficient, effective, cohesive, timely, and incredibly productive team.


 Yes, there was 1 error picked up at the end of the operating session, with the incorrect wagon leaving the Goods shed instead of a similar looking wagon leaving the Stores. Upon investigation this wasn't a mistake but initiative, because Tawnton operators decided, based on discussions with the CEO (not the owner) that, to make money for the railway a different wagon would leave on the train. Still, further investigation revealed that the wagon that was meant to leave Tawnton, had a 'flat wheel', which as Geoff M. could attest to, it could have caused repercussions that would have been very costly for the railway. In recent Tawnton fashion, operations were timely and operational efficiency oozed from that side of the room.
 Thanks to Connor for filling in for Geoff D. It was appreciated and it was good to have you with us again. 

Dispatch:

Anyone that likes cricket can remember a segment a number of years back now, titled 'Classic Catches'. Well, the Dispatcher took the honour on this operational session by introducing 'Classic Comments'. Such comments, and some were repeated a number of times throughout the evening were simply, 'Don't worry fellas, that's me' or simply, 'that's me' or alternatively, 'my fault'. This was in relation to some signals not changed, points not changed, etc, etc. It was nice to know that even the head of the D&S makes mistakes but in true honourable style, he quickly owns up to them. It wasn't always the station operators that caused the short circuits in the session. 

In Summary. 

The session was a lot of fun, and even though a lifted track, a dicky point and a train derailing in the tunnel occurred in the session, still a good night was had by all, and like any good session, no-one got injured and Mrs Kafoops didn't turn up to complain.

Supper was the usual, with some good chatter going around the table, whilst sipping on tea / coffee and feeding our faces. 

That's the lot. 

D&S Media Manager